Apparatus and method for recording jaw motion

Claim 1

An apparatus for tracking and recording a subject's jaw motion, comprising: at least two targets, each target having at least one cross-hair disposed on a face of the target; means for non-intrusively attaching a first target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to the subject's upper jaw, and means for non-intrusively attaching a second target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's lower jaw, said targets being initially located near the origin (0,0,0) of a three dimensional subject coordinate system which coordinate system is fixed relative to said subject's upper jaw; three video cameras disposed about said subject's head, and disposed along camera coordinates X,Y and Z, each of said video cameras being positioned so that its lens is focused on said targets' cross-hairs, each of said cameras having a charge control device chip which includes an array of light sensitive pixels defining a two dimensional image coordinate system for converting a light image indicative of a target's cross-hair position into a series of amplitude signals; wherein each of said targets is approximately cuboidal with at least three differently colored faces oriented toward said cameras along camera coordinates X, Y and Z, each of said colored faces having a cross-hair of high optical contrast relative to its background; and computer means for receiving and processing said camera chip amplitude signals, said computer means having a pre-processor board for timing, synchronizing and transforming said camera chip amplitude signals into an address record representing said targets' relative positions as a function of time, said computer means further including a mass storage unit for storing the address record information.

Claim 2

An apparatus for tracking and recording a subject's jaw motion, comprising: at least two targets, each target having at least one cross-hair disposed on a face of the target; means for non-intrusively attaching a first target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to the subject's upper jaw, and means for non-intrusively attaching a second target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's lower jaw, said targets being initially located near the origin (0,0,0) of a three dimensional subject coordinate system which coordinate system is fixed relative to said subject's upper jaw; three video cameras disposed about said subject's head, and disposed along camera coordinates X,Y and Z, each of said video cameras being positioned so that its lens is focused on said targets' cross-hairs, each of said cameras having a charge control device chip which includes an array of light sensitive pixels defining a two dimensional image coordinate system for converting a light image indicative of a target's cross-hair position into a series of amplitude signals; wherein each of said targets is approximately cuboidal with at least three differently colored faces oriented toward said cameras along camera coordinates X, Y and Z, each of said colored faces having a cross-hair of high optical contrast relative to its background; and computer means for receiving and processing said camera chip amplitude signals, said computer means having a pre-processor board for timing, synchronizing and transforming said camera chip amplitude signals into an address record representing said targets' relative positions as a function of time, said computer means further including a mass storage unit for storing the address record information.

Claim 5

An apparatus for tracking, recording and analyzing a subject's jaw motion comprising: at least two targets, each target having at least one cross-hair disposed on a face of the target; means for non-intrusively attaching a first target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to the subject's upper jaw, and means for non-intrusively attaching a second target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's lower jaw, said targets being initially located near the origin (0,0,0) of a three dimensional subject coordinate system which coordinate system is fixed relative to said subject's upper jaw; three video cameras disposed about said subject's head, and disposed along camera coordinates X,Y and Z, each of said video cameras being positioned so that its lens is focused on said targets' cross-hairs, each of said cameras having a charge control device chip which includes an array of light sensitive pixels defining a two dimensional image coordinate system for converting a light image indicative of a target's cross-hair position into a series of amplitude signals; wherein each of said targets is approximately cuboidal with at least three differently colored faces oriented toward said cameras along camera coordinates X, Y and Z, each of said colored faces having a cross-hair of high optical contrast relative to its background; and computer means for receiving and processing said camera chip amplitude signals, said computer means having a pre-processor board for timing, synchronizing and transforming said camera chip amplitude signals into an address record representing said targets' relative positions as a function of time, said computer means further including a mass storage unit for storing the address record information, graphics software for creating a simulation of said subject's jaw movement in said subject coordinate system based on said address record information, and display means for visually presenting said graphics means for visually presenting said graphics software simulation of jaw movement.

Claim 6

An apparatus for tracking, recording and analyzing a subject's jaw motion comprising: at least two targets, each target having at least one cross-hair disposed on a face of the target; means for non-intrusively attaching a first target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to the subject's upper jaw, and means for non-intrusively attaching a second target to said subject in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's lower jaw, said targets being initially located near the origin (0,0,0) of a three dimensional subject coordinate system which coordinate system is fixed relative to said subject's upper jaw; three video cameras disposed about said subject's head, and disposed along camera coordinates X,Y and Z, each of said video cameras being positioned so that its lens is focused on said targets' cross-hairs, each of said cameras having a charge control device chip which includes an array of light sensitive pixels defining a two dimensional image coordinate system for converting a light image indicative of a target's cross-hair position into a series of amplitude signals; wherein each of said targets is approximately cuboidal with at least three differently colored faces oriented toward said cameras along camera coordinates X, Y and Z, each of said colored faces having a cross-hair of high optical contrast relative to its background; and computer means for receiving and processing said camera chip amplitude signals, said computer means having a pre-processor board for timing, synchronizing and transforming said camera chip amplitude signals into an address record representing said targets' relative positions as a function of time, said computer means further including a mass storage unit for storing the address record information, graphics software for creating a simulation of said subject's jaw movement in said subject coordinate system based on said address record information, and display means for visually presenting said graphics means for visually presenting said graphics software simulation of jaw movement.

Claim 8

A method for tracking, recording and analyzing a subject's jaw motion, comprising the steps of: non-intrusively attaching at least two targets having cross-hairs disposed on the target face to the subject, such that a first target is in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's upper jaw, and a second target is in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's lower jaw, said targets being initially located near the origin (0,0,0) of a three dimensional subject coordinate system which is fixed relative to said subject's upper jaw; operating three video cameras disposed about said subject's head and disposed along camera coordinates X, Y and Z, each of said video cameras being positioned so that its lens is focused on said targets' cross-hairs, and each of said cameras having a charge control device chip which includes an array of light sensitive pixels defining a two dimensional image coordinate system for converting a light image indicative of a target's cross-hair position into a series of amplitude signals; and receiving and processing said camera chip amplitude signals in computer means, said computer means including a pre-processor board for timing, synchronizing and transforming said camera chip amplitude signals into an address record representing the targets' relative positions as a function of time, said computer means further including a mass storage unit for storing said address record information, graphics software for creating a simulation of said subject's jaw movement in said subject coordinate system based on said address record information display means for visually presenting said graphics software simulation of jaw movement, and printer means.

Claim 9

A method for tracking, recording and analyzing a subject's jaw motion, comprising the steps of: non-intrusively attaching at least two targets having cross-hairs disposed on the target face to the subject, such that a first target is in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's upper jaw, and a second target is in a fixed relationship relative to said subject's lower jaw, said targets being initially located near the origin (0,0,0) of a three dimensional subject coordinate system which is fixed relative to said subject's upper jaw; operating three video cameras disposed about said subject's head and disposed along camera coordinates X, Y and Z, each of said video cameras being positioned so that its lens is focused on said targets' cross-hairs, and each of said cameras having a charge control device chip which includes an array of light sensitive pixels defining a two dimensional image coordinate system for converting a light image indicative of a target's cross-hair position into a series of amplitude signals; and receiving and processing said camera chip amplitude signals in computer means, said computer means including a pre-processor board for timing, synchronizing and transforming said camera chip amplitude signals into an address record representing the targets' relative positions as a function of time, said computer means further including a mass storage unit for storing said address record information, graphics software for creating a simulation of said subject's jaw movement in said subject coordinate system based on said address record information display means for visually presenting said graphics software simulation of jaw movement, and printer means.